Chapter 2 – I Need You
'Are we almost there?' Sephiroth asked, close behind Vincent. He had asked that four times already. It was beginning to get on both of their nerves.
Eventually, after crossing Cosmo Canyon's cliffs, Nibelheim was only a mile away.
'Oh, thank god!' Sephiroth sighed, almost jumping into a run towards the town. But he paused before he entered the town itself. There would be people in this town now...and if they noticed him, who knows what would happen.
'You said you wanted to meet Cloud...here's your chance', Vincent said, walking ahead into Cloud's old house.
Sephiroth's heart was beating faster and he was getting worried. He hadn't thought about the dangers that might happen if he ran into Cloud. What would happen?
'I can't do this now...' Sephiroth said, beginning to walk out of Nibelheim. But he stopped again. He wanted to know who he really was...and surely only Cloud could know. But...he would almost be risking his life. He turned around towards Nibelheim again and saw Vincent stepping out of Cloud's.
'Come on! Hurry up!' Vincent hissed, bringing Sephiroth closer.
'Who's there, Vincent?'
'No one!' Vincent snapped, slamming the door behind him. Cloud was in the house with him. He stood up from the kitchen table and walked up to Vincent. His blonde spikes were gone and his hair was resting on his shoulders, with red and black tips and streaks. He was wearing a blue jumper and normal blue denim jeans, resting on his hips.
'Who's there Vincent? Tell me', Cloud asked, crossing his arms and shifting his weight on his right leg.
'No one's there, I told you', Vincent said. Cloud wasn't at all convinced. He shoved Vincent out of the way of the door with force and opened the door.
He looked in both directions, seeing...no one. But he stepped out of the house to have a better look. While he was looking, people were obviously being friendly and saying hello...then he heard a scream and someone ran close to Cloud.
'Cloud! Cloud! It's him!' the girl shouted. She pointed towards the entrance of Nibelheim and Cloud looked. Standing there and staring at the town, trying to enter...was Sephiroth. While he slowly stepped onto the stone ground of the town, Cloud came running up to him. But not for anything nice or friendly.
'What are you doing here?!' Cloud shouted.
'...I just want you...'
'Get out of here. You're not welcome, Sephiroth. This Planet doesn't need you anymore...you've done enough harm', Cloud said. He then pushed him away from the entrance and onto his back.
'You come anywhere near this town...and I swear, I won't hesitate to kill you again...' Cloud said, bringing the little girl away from him and into the town. Vincent stepped outside of Cloud's house to talk to him.
'Listen, Cloud. There's something you should know about him...he's been brought back, yes, but...he's not evil. Do you see a Masamune or any other kind of threat around him? Just...give him a little chance, Cloud', Vincent said, keeping his voice at a low volume, close to whisper.
'What's gotten into you? He's Sephiroth. He tried to destroy this town, me and Tifa, killed Zack, killed Aeris and almost destroyed the Planet. After hearing and knowing the things he did, tell me now that he's not evil', Cloud answered back. Vincent hesitated, thinking of what to tell him, to convince him to let Sephiroth be accepted just once.
'He's not evil. He won't harm us...and he knows the things he's done', Vincent told him. Cloud avoided eye contact with Vincent...because he knew he was right. Then he looked towards Sephiroth. He stood up with his back towards the town, starting to walk away.
'...Sephiroth!' Cloud shouted. He stopped to hear what Cloud said, thinking he just might let him into the town.
'...You can come...' Cloud shouted, giving in. A smile grew on Sephiroth's face and he turned round, walking into the town. As soon as he reached Cloud, the blonde asked for why he wanted him.
'I need to know why I was placed on this Planet. And I know it wasn't to harm people...' Sephiroth explained. Cloud sighed but told him to come in his house.
'It's kind of hard to explain to someone like you, especially in this situation, but...I'll try and tell you', Cloud said, sitting down at the kitchen table, and telling Sephiroth to do the same.
'Well...you know you're not the real Sephiroth. You're his clone. The real Sephiroth died...completely. You're really the second clone to survive without the real Sephiroth, but you're an identical one. You were the best...I was a failed clone', Cloud explained. Vincent was listening as well, but leaned against the wall, a few feet away from the table.
'You were a failed clone...?' Sephiroth asked. Cloud nodded and continued to speak.
'This is how it started. The real Sephiroth found out about the Jenova Project and went mad. He cut off Jenova's head, killing Zack and almost killing Tifa. He got me...but I didn't die. I shoved him off his sword and threw him into the pool of Mako below us, so he was dead. But...Hojo had already created a clone of him...that's you. You went mad with only one purpose in mind...to get rid of me and have the Reunion with Jenova and the other clones. But he also wanted the Black Materia to summon Meteor...'
'I remember Meteor. The Ultimate Destructive Magic in the Temple of the Ancients...uh...continue', Sephiroth told Cloud.
'Well, when I got the Black Materia, you...kind of possessed me to give you...well...the real Sephiroth the Black Materia. Then I got it back, but...when we reached the Northern Crater, in the Ice Cave...I gave it back to the real one, who was in caved in Mako. And he came back to haunt me again...but when we fought through Midgar and up to the Northern Cave again, we battled him, defeated him and stopped Meteor...and now...the Sephiroth clone has come back. You...' Cloud explained. Now he kind of understood. He was a clone...not the real thing.
'Well...thanks, anyway', Sephiroth said, quietly.
'What do you mean by that?' Cloud asked.
'I mean I don't really have a purpose...I'm just a clone. Clones are only copies', Sephiroth said. Cloud felt different for him this time, almost guilty.
'Even you might have a purpose, but...honestly, I don't think I know. Sorry', Cloud said.
'It's alright. You mind if I go upstairs?' Sephiroth asked.
'No, go on', Cloud said. Sephiroth stood up and walked into the upstairs of Cloud's house.
He entered Cloud's room and just sat on the bed, pondering over what he should do now. He found out about himself...but he still didn't have a purpose.
'What am I gonna do...?' Sephiroth asked himself, holding his head in his hands. With this, he was close to tears. He was even more confused than he was from the beginning. Thinking more about it now, he actually was letting tears fall. He heard someone come upstairs and instantly tried to wipe his eyes free of tears. It was Cloud. He slowly opened the door and sat on the corner of the bed, next to him.
'You okay?' Cloud asked. Sephiroth faced him, revealing obvious signs that he had just been crying. The rims of his eyes were red and wet with tears.
'I'm fine...it's just a little surprising, that's all' Sephiroth said. Then he was even more surprised with what Cloud did...he hugged him...and reassuringly.
'I've told you all I could...I can't tell you anymore, coz that's all I know...' Cloud said, releasing Sephiroth from his embrace. Sephiroth paused, placing a bit of his silver hair behind his ear and wiping his eyes free of more falling tears.
'You okay now?' Cloud asked.
'Yeah...I just need a little time on my own...' Sephiroth said, nearing a whisper. Cloud stood up to walk out...but hesitated at the door. Sephiroth heard Cloud heave out a sigh and he turned round.
'Forgive me for this...'
'Hn...?'
Cloud quickly walked over to Sephiroth and pulled him to stand.
'What are you doing...?' Sephiroth asked.
'...I said you should forgive me for this...'
Without another word from Sephiroth, Cloud placed his own lips on Sephiroth's. He was even more surprised than ever before in his life...Cloud kissed him. Actually...he didn't mind. He wanted to know what it felt like...but he didn't expect the first person he'd kiss would be Cloud. He then felt Cloud wrap his arm around the back of his neck, bringing him closer. This kiss grew hungrier, opening their mouths and caressing each other's tongues. Sephiroth wrapped his arm around Cloud's waist and brought him much closer till their bodies were touching.
'Well, that's romantic...' Cloud and Sephiroth jumped off each other, to the sound of Vincent's voice. He had a smirk on his face and an eyebrow raised. Sephiroth had his back turned, blushing beetroot red while Cloud just didn't look at Vincent.
'So...care to explain, lovebirds?'
'Oh, don't act so smug!' Cloud said.
'I'm not acting like anything! So, tell me how you two got tangled in each other's mouths!'
'Vincent!!' Both Cloud and Sephiroth said at the same time.
'Fine! Fine, I'll leave you two alone', Vincent said, slowly leaving the room and slowly closing the door behind him.
'So...tell me really why you kissed me?' Sephiroth asked.
'Well...I admit...I'm glad your back...I guess...I just...I need you...' Cloud said, his eyes looked like puppy dogs. Sephiroth's heart melted within him and he felt happy. This is was going to be the start of a nice but...strange relationship...